Ginger Snap
by chamelegirl
Summary: The colour red had never caught his eye the same way again.
_A/N: A careless one-shot that I dabbled with earlier._

 _We didn't get enough of Gilbert in the books by Lucy Maud Montgomery. No perspective given. Not enough scenes or interaction between Anne & Gil so of course it left me to wonder how the beautiful boy himself was feeling. From the day he teased her, those two were destined to be. In my eyes he saw right through her and I hate how it took her so long to __realise her soulmate was there in front of her for years but it makes their story all that more beautiful._

 _Let me know what you thinkkkkk._

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Gilbert Blythe's life had changed the day a new girl at school arrived just as he had returned. His absence had been due to the fact that his father had been ill and it was crucial that he tended to the farm, helped his father out and worked as much as his thirteen years would allow. Thankfully Gil was bright, and he did not see the point in fretting over being away when he knew deep down he'd catch up with the work; he liked school mostly because of the unwavering attention he was handed on a silver platter. The girls he attracted were all the same. Dark haired like he was, or golden tresses like the Pye sisters. It soothed his ego when they swooned over every little thing he did, knowing fine well he could court a new one each month without hesitation. His Mother saw the way the girls followed him home like they were lost puppies, his son was as much as a heartbreaker as his Father, John Blythe had been in his youth. Gil saw himself in class how they would all be distracted over him. He liked to tease them back, call them playful names or steal their attention in a non-obvious manner that he may or may not be crushing on them too. Not only was he the heartthrob in his year, but also a class clown and a brainbox. One might say he had it all but he wasn't scared to admit that it grew tiring after a while. It was as if he needed a conquest to challenge him, something less predictable to change him. It was no use praying or even wishing because nothing in Avonlea changed. Everything stayed the same.

Short of his fourteenth birthday, Gil's first day at school was almost heaven sent. Something in his gut had signaled something was changing that morning, that there was extra sunshine outside for a purpose, that there was anticipation in the air on a Monday morning which was unusual. There was no full moon, and no activities or school outings happening at the moment. He sat with his friends near the back of the class, as per usual none of them were paying full attention to their lessons. Gilbert's voice in his head was telling him to concentrate so now and again he'd scribble bits and pieces that their teacher was explaining. His attention span wasn't in large measure, he got bored of the girls around him flocking like pigeons at anything he said or did. Which was _strange._ He glanced around the class at all of his classmates. The class was assorted into different age groups. Young people sat at the top, followed by pupils two or three years younger than him and lastly a few his own age. The Pye sisters sat together gazing at him in wonderment. They were probably dotting their eyes with hearts or writing their last names together to match his. He inwardly rolled his eyes as he caught Diana Barry's glance. She whispered something into a girl's ear. He looked away before his gaze focused back on her. Diana wasn't an admirer as such, she was extremely wealthy and pretty but too ditzy and ordinary for his liking, and Gil guessed she could do better than what he had to offer. But his attention wavered at a new sight, lo and behold. Beside her, a young girl with a unruly mess of red hair hanging in two braids chattered on. The colour of her hair stood out like a sore thumb in between the heads of black, numerous shades of brown or blonde. He thought he had heard a different and new voice muttering and giggling every so often. He discovered who it belonged to then and there. _I didn't know there was anybody new in school._ He thought to himself. He propped his hand on his cheek as he studied her. Gilbert was an observer, he saw everything and a smile plastered on his face as he watched this new girl coming up for air and writing something down.

His ego barged in, wanting to know why she wasn't looking at him. Gilbert was popular, there was not one girl in school that hadn't looked his way or encouraged his flirtation. As if she had heard him thinking, her gaze met his. _Those eyes were beautiful._ An electric bolt of lightening fizzled between them to cause her to look away again. Disappointment and annoyance evoked him to start taunting her. Not for any reason other than to get another glimpse of those eyes. What was it he just felt? It was charging between them, her eyes were a green-grey mix and match and so very different to the shades of blue, browns and other greens he had seen. They twinkled mischievously as she took excitement in her lesson and he could've sworn her face had freckles spattered across her nose and cheeks. As her head tossed and turned, his marvelling was confirmed. She babbled on again when Gilbert selfishly started throwing fragments of paper at her. They indirectly missed her, and he could see at the corner of her eye that she was losing her patience. _By now the girls would be at their feet begging him to show them off around the playground and kiss behind the sheds and sneak up to the Lane at lunchtime._ "Carrots! Carrots!" He arrogantly hissed, moving his head to get better view of her eyes. She sat there still like a boiling pot of water, ready to explode. To get further amusment and reaction, his hand reached out to tug and pull at one of her braids. _Even her hair was beautiful. It was silky and had the slightest tints of auburn through it._ Any more observation wasn't granted, the next few seconds were like a blur as she screamed at how mean he was, picking up his slate that he had scribbled on and smashed it in one blow over his head. The class erupted in laughter, his friends mocked him as his cheeks scalded red. As red as the fiery little missy's hair who fumed and caught herself in her rage. Immediately the class hushed as Mr. Phillips scolded Anne. If there was one thing Gilbert did, he would always own up to his wrong doings, and in _this_ particular case, he would not test any more of the new girl's anger. The teacher punished her by making her write out her name and how bad tempered she was. Her name was **Anne Shirley. Anne with an E.** The teacher misspelled it before she added the last letter, sighing as if it was a normal everyday occurrence for her. A lovely, simple name for the most unusual looking and shocking girl he had ever met. Gil didn't know whether to laugh or mock her back. He was stunned. Nobody had _ever_ stood up to him, given him a taste of his own medicine. He was almost scared to glance her over again as the sound of the chalk dug into the blackboard, he knew even from a few seats away that she was agitated. Furious and upset. How could he know this about her already? Gilbert didn't dare say a word for the rest of the day and when school was over with, he watched her run back to her chair, tears filling her eyes as she gathered her books, shot him a look of hatred before scurrying off with Diana Barry. Moody and some other friends of his laughed it off, slapped him on the back trying to jeer him on as they walked home. His head was aching, but it didn't compare to how Anne Shirley must be feeling. She was crying because of him. She lost her temper over something so innocent. He called Diana "crowhead" twice in the time he had known her and as far as he could tell, she didn't bat an eyelid. He nicknamed Josie Pye, "goldilocks" to which she girlishly twirled her hair at and writhed in his attention. It was a Blythe thing. No harm done. Why was she so upset? One thing was for sure, Gilbert had to know more about her. He didn't know the feeling of regret and the feeling of heaviness in his chest until those captivating eyes glistened with tears as she glared at him. For the first time he couldn't just brush this off.


End file.
